Families looking for their first home will welcome a bipartisan commitment to increase housing supply, but will be asking what more can be done.

“The Green Party welcomes a multi-party approach to allowing more homes in walkable urban areas as part of what needs to be done to help address the housing crisis. But changing planning rules will not be a silver bullet by itself,” says Green Party urban development spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.

“Government needs to do more make sure we’re building low carbon, quality housing developments in the places we need them. Councils need more funding for public transport services, the ability to provide for parks, and significant tree protection.

“Central Government will also have to do more planning to ensure early childhood education centres, schools and other core public infrastructure is provided in inner suburbs as more homes go up.

“The Green Party has been working at every level of government to build more affordable housing close to where people work, study, and socialise. Red tape is not the only barrier to the solutions we have been proposing.

“The housing crisis finds its roots in a range of issues, all of which need to be addressed – from the capacity of the construction sector to the cost of importing materials, to a tax and legislative framework that benefits investors instead of protecting renters and empowering those seeking to buy their first home. An approach that deals with only one of these issues is not enough.

“The next step from today’s announcement should be to develop a comprehensive plan that makes sure everyone has access to an affordable, dry, and warm home,” says Julie Anne Genter.

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